Emilia Pustkowska, the mother of 17-year-old Kamil Pustkowska, who died in a head-on collision on the M9 motorway along with four other teenagers, has spoken out about her desperate attempts to intervene in her son's escalating behavior. Pustkowska stated that weeks before the fatal crash, she appealed to a judge to place Kamil in custody, but his cases were repeatedly adjourned due to a solicitors' strike and other delays.
Kamil, along with Jack Kennedy, 17, Jeremy O’Brien, 18, Joe Carthy, 15, and 16-year-old Alex McCarthy, died when the car they were traveling in was driven the wrong way down the M9. Three women and a child in the other vehicle sustained serious injuries and remain hospitalized.
Pustkowska, an accountant and active member of the Polish community in Ireland, expressed sorrow for the victims and their families. She refuted claims that her son was the leader of the group, describing him as a "lost boy" who was unable to lead himself and was vulnerable to being influenced by others. She also stated that authorities informed her Kamil was not the driver of the vehicle involved in the crash.
Her son, diagnosed with autism, struggled with friendships and was susceptible to what she described as grooming. His court appearances for offenses, which began after October 2025, were frequently postponed. Pustkowska recounted attending multiple court dates in Limerick and Dublin, only for hearings to be adjourned due to legal aid solicitor strikes or a lack of prepared evidence from the Gardaí.
"I said to that judge, 'I can't keep him at home.' That's the thing. For two years I'm living as a prisoner because I have locked everything," Pustkowska said, explaining her plea for her son's incarceration. She believed that if he had been in prison, he might have matured and potentially avoided the circumstances that led to his death, though she acknowledged this would not have prevented another tragedy.
Kamil's involvement in offenses began to escalate around January 2025, following years of bullying. Despite his mother's efforts to keep him in school and enroll him in courses, he began skipping school and making new online friends. His mother also described an incident in March where Kamil was severely assaulted and hospitalized, but no prosecution followed due to his fear of making a statement.
Pustkowska, who divorced Kamil's father over a decade ago and has since rebuilt her life, wishes to remember her son as a gentle child, recalling photos of him as a shy eight-year-old and a family holiday to Disneyland Paris. She learned of the crash on social media and her son's death was confirmed by authorities later that Sunday.
She criticized online commentators, stating they do not understand the complexities of parenting a troubled child. "I knew as well. For them, I wish it stays like that," she said, referring to the perceived ease with which others manage their children's lives.